Best Practices in use in ESOL classrooms

The following pages summarize some practices that I used in my classrooms in 2003.  

I was a part-time non-contract teacher at Hallandale Adult Community Center (Day, GED and math "pull-out") and I taught ESOL at night at Lauderhill Community School.

I am a disciple of Dawn Elrad's "Active Learning" seminar and my practices are focused on visual and tactile learners.

These are some of the "best practices" that I use in my adult education classes...

1.  Assess the technology
Look for video machine (VCRs and TVs), computers, OHPs (overhead projectors) and a photocopier (I actually have a photocopier in a corner of a classroom).  Consider what each item of technology could do for the class.  Ask students to explain how to use the “enlarge” and “shrink” functions on the copier.

2.  Make videotapes of my teaching. Make copies.  Send the copies home with students who have VCRs (or who have neighbors who have VCRs).  this technique is good for students who want to improve their math (GED) or pronunciation (ESOL).
Funding?  $1 per tape, I bought 20 tapes at the beginning of the year, I have 4 different videos, 5 copies of each, and they are all on loan.  I've never lost a tape.  Students generally bring back the tape, since they want to borrow the next tape (I keep a log and I record when a student takes out the tape).  (UPDATE in 2008:  I use DVDs and CDs, which are cheaper and quicker to duplicate.)

3.  Maintain a library of free books. A sign reads below the books:  "Free Books.  Please return when you finish reading them."   Most of the school textbooks cannot leave the school, so my adult ESOL students really enjoy the access to my free books.

4.  Bring a video camera into class.
This is the single most vitalizing action I've done as a teacher.  I take videos of myself and transfer the lessons to VHS 1/2-inch tape (update in 2008:   CD and DVD) (to lend to students who missed the class).

I take digital still photos of my students (almost EVERYBODY wants their picture taken in my ESOL class).  Click here to see some results from my classes with students from HAITI.

I convert the videos to QuickTime movies (using iMac) and transfer the videos to CD or DVD.

In my GED classroom, the iMacs have the IEEE connector, so they can accept images for editing in iMovie software.  I teach students how to do fades, wipes, edits and other video production techniques.  The words from these activities is helpful for enlarging their vocabularies.

5.  Websites: Geocities, Angelfire, others...
I teach students to make their own websites.  My instruction page is useful for geocities.com at: www.geocities.com/countries2001/instruction.html  
The downside:  most computers in some school systems decline access to geocities.com and angelfire.com (blocked by the system).  
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My current favorite web-based software for making a free web site is called www.freeservers.com

6.  Artwork
When I see students doodling, I usually comment on the artistic quality. Students sometimes show me more of their work... I post some of the items on free web sites to give the students some recognition.  This proves more satisfactory since I don't waste time over a rule that forbids graffiti and other non-school-related activities.  It's easier to embrace the student's doodling than to segregate the class from the artistic impulse.

Write to me with suggestions

Steve McCrea
freeenglishlessons@gmail.com
Facebook:  link to "freeenglishlessons@gmail.com"
Fort Lauderdale, FL